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Looking out for voters - Know before you go what you are voting on

By Kyle Quick--Tuesday will be the biggest election since the hanging chads of 2000 when Republican candidate George W. Bush defeated the Democratic candidate Al Gore. Franklin County Debbie Door is predicting a 70 to 73 percent turnout in Franklin County.

There are several items on this year’s ballot that could be over shadowed by the highly published race for the White House.

Quick News has you covered so you know what will be on the ballot before you go vote.

We want to make sure you see what the ballot looks like and wording used one the five different items voters will be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on.

Most voters are overwhelmed when they receive their ballot by the number of items to vote on. This year there are 18 elected positions to vote on, three propositions, (A, B, and E) one Constitutional Amendment, and one “Question” asking for the maximum tax levy in Franklin County be increased to 20 cents.

Proposition A deals with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. We attempted to call St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom to obtain more information however he or his office has returned our phone call. Below is how the ballot will read:

Shall Missouri law be amended to:

allow any city not within a county (the City of St. Louis) the option of transferring certain obligations and control of the city’s police force from the board of police commissioners currently appointed by the governor to the city and establishing a municipal police force;

establish certain procedures and requirements for governing such a municipal police force including residency, rank, salary, benefits, insurance, and pension; and

prohibit retaliation against any employee of such municipal police force who reports conduct believed to be illegal to a superior, government agency, or the press?

State governmental entities estimated savings will eventually be up to $500,000 annually. Local governmental entities estimated annual potential savings of $3.5 million; however, consolidation decisions with an unknown outcome may result in the savings being more or less than estimated.

Proposition B deals with a 25% increase on tobacco sales. The proposition reads as follows:

Shall Missouri law be amended to:

create the Health and Education Trust Fund with proceeds of a tax of $0.0365 per cigarette and 25% of the manufacturer’s invoice price for roll-your-own tobacco and 15% for other tobacco products;

use Fund proceeds to reduce and prevent tobacco use and for elementary, secondary, college and university public school funding; and

increase the amount that certain tobacco product manufacturers must maintain in their escrow accounts, to pay judgments or settlements, before any funds in escrow can be refunded to the tobacco product manufacturer and create bonding requirements for these manufacturers?

Estimated additional revenue to state government is $283 million to $423 million annually with limited estimated implementation costs or savings. The revenue will fund only programs and services allowed by the proposal. The fiscal impact to local governmental entities is unknown. Escrow fund changes may result in unknown increase in future state revenue.

be amended to prohibit the Governor or any state agency, from establishing or operating state-based health insurance exchanges unless authorized by a vote of the people or by the legislature?

No direct costs or savings for state and local governmental entities are expected from this proposal. Indirect costs or savings related to enforcement actions, missed federal funding, avoided implementation costs, and other issues are unknown.

County of Franklin “Question” if voted “yes” would increase the maximum tax levy to increase 20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

The Question reads as follows:

Shall the maximum tax levied by the County of Franklin to improve, expand and develop residential services, employment programs, and related services for those children and adults with developmental disabilities such as, but not limited to;